Photosynthetic microorganisms expressing thermostable lipase
View Patent ↗The present invention encompasses a photosynthetic microorganism that produces biofuels and biofuel precursors.
1. A photosynthetic microorganism, wherein the microorganism comprises a nucleic acid cassette comprising an inducible promoter and a constitutive promoter operably-linked to a nucleic acid encoding a thermostable lipase capable of hydrolyzing the lipid membranes of the microorganism, wherein the thermostable lipase has an optimal temperature of about 40° C. or more.
2. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a Synechocystis PCC sp. 6803 cyanobacterium having ATCC #27184.
3. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the inducible promoter is induced in the absence of CO 2 .
4. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the thermostable lipase is encoded by the fnl nucleic acid sequence of Fervidobacterium nodosum.
5. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 1 , wherein the thermostable lipase is activated at about 46° C.
6. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 1 , wherein hydrolyzing the lipid membranes of the microorganism releases the contents of the microorganism.
7. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 6 , wherein the contents of the microorganism are biofuels and biofuel precursors.
8. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 6 , wherein hydrolyzing the lipid membrane of the cyanobacterium releases FFA.
9. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 6 , wherein hydrolyzing the lipid membrane of the cyanobacterium releases neutral lipids.
10. The photosynthetic microorganism of claim 6 , wherein hydrolyzing the lipid membrane of the cyanobacterium releases alkanes.